Early modern historian. Loves gender, women's, social & royal histories. Ventures elswhere when interest is piqued. Blog may cover above themes or something a little more random. Find me on Twitter @ruthrblair

Tag: Blog

I’ve had my blog for over two years and I’ve been posting regularly for twelve months solid and seen a growth in readers on my blog for each of those months – except the two months when I’ve deliberately slowed down and focused my energies elsewhere – because sometimes life does get in the way of my writing time! My blog is a niche subject … Continue reading My Top Tips for Gaining Readers

In the first week of October 2017, I decided to finally wake up my ignored WordPress blog. I had started with such enthusiasm in June 2016 but then struggled to put pen to paper – or whatever the laptop equivalent is by the autumn of that year. In March of 2017 I shared just one post – but if it had to be one post, … Continue reading HistorianRuby One Year Blogiversary (of sorts)

I was forever playing around with my blog, not 100% happy with it, but also not hating it enough for change. However, when I removed my header image, my theme (Canard) was able to showcase ‘featured content’ in its stead! I had to go into the customiser and select a chosen tag in ‘Featured Content’, then the latest five posts that have had that tag … Continue reading What’s Featured: a Month in Review

Family history – own it Are you writing about your family history? If so, then YOU own the story. In my experience, I’ve found this to be a stressless way of writing history. It’s always enjoyable to reminisce. When I write my family history posts the words nearly always flow very easily once I’ve settled on a topic and this is because it is my … Continue reading Writing History: Some Hints and Tips

This post was written after my blogging hiatus. I had the idea for a week or two and then struggled to get the words onto [virtual] paper. However, I persevered and finally completed a finished article that wasn’t a re-blog or a sharing of an academic piece. HistorianRuby was back in business! I’ve had some more fun with words over recent weeks – I heard … Continue reading To Find the ‘Write’ Word: Revisited

On the first of each month, or as near as, work and family commitments permitting, I will feature several of my posts thematically. I will also write a new themed post to coincide with the current chosen topic. For this I will be utilising the ‘featured content’ option on my WordPress theme – I use Canard. I’ve tried to find a new theme, (I get … Continue reading ‘What’s Featured?’ on HistorianRuby: a New Series

A couple of weeks ago I divulged to a new acquaintance that I wrote a history blog and her response was interest and a question, ‘But who proofreads for you?’ That would be me. Sadly, I’ve no-one at home who I can ask for a quick proofread. There is interest in what I write, but not enough to read a longer post and if I’m … Continue reading Blogging: Top Tips Before Pressing Publish

I started this blog to share fascinating stories from history. Not least of those, are my family history posts. I have researched my family’s history on and off for three decades, with more off than on, and usually with an intense burst of activity after travelling to a specific archive or record office. This blog is now two-years-old and this is its 94th article! So I … Continue reading Tracing my Boyland and Gray Ancestors

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve wondered how I can keep up with the pace of writing articles for 2 – 3 posts a week. Including this post I have published 16 articles in April and I’ve two scheduled for May. I’ve increased my output a lot since I started blogging again back in October. I’ve really enjoyed increasing my frequency of posting and I’ve … Continue reading Your Thoughts Required: ‘Guest Posts’ on Blogs

In the last six months my blog has grown gaining many new readers and (I assume) some of my original 40-odd followers are no longer blogging. Indeed, initially enthusiastic, after three months I failed to blog for fourteen whole months! But I had a couple of early posts that proved popular with internet searches and thus my blog was not exactly dormant (even though I … Continue reading A Blogging Experiment and a Domain Name

In June 2016 I started my history blog with a lot of enthusiasm, unfortunately by early August my enthusiasm fizzled out. I had planned to write about my visits to stately homes and other historic sites, but instead I edited a 2013 university paper on accused 19th century poisoner, Eliza Fenning, posted it to my blog and forgot about writing – except for one article … Continue reading Sourcing History for Blogging: Six Months of History Trips

History as entertainment can be consumed without you knowing it. The popularity of historical dramas, Downton Abbey, Jamaica Inn, Jamestown, The Crown and Victoria, to name a few, help educate the public, albeit passively, and at the risk of the odd inaccuracy if an historical advisor has not been consulted. Traditionally, history was consumed through reading text books and learning dates by rote – I … Continue reading The Many Ways to Consume History

I am thrilled to have been nominated for the Liebster Award! So thank you The Britchy One! I love a good lifestyle blog and this is lifestyle and MORE! Read: comedy, angst and a little bit of bonkers – see tumble dryer! I’ve been a little slow in replying to this as I’ve been incredibly busy with work, writing a couple of planned posts and … Continue reading The Liebster Award

I have been nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by Jo at Working Mom’s Hustle. Thank you so much! Jo’s entertaining site is a lifestyle blog and more! I love a good lifestyle blog, it appeals to the nosy person in me! It made me question the definition of ‘versatile’. Now I have a niche blog, but can you be versatile in a niche area? … Continue reading Versatile Blogger Award No. 3